By CATHERINE LUCEY and MICHAEL BALSAMO , Associated Press, and staff
COLUMBUS – Stormy Daniels’ lawyer says the adult film actress was set up in a sting operation and he calls her arrest at a Northeast Side strip club early Thursday “ridiculous.”
Just rcvd word that my client @StormyDaniels was arrested in Columbus Ohio whole performing the same act she has performed across the nation at nearly a hundred strip clubs. This was a setup & politically motivated. It reeks of desperation. We will fight all bogus charges. #Basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 12, 2018
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, of Forney, Texas, was arrested at Club Sirens, 6190 Cleveland Avenue, and was charged with three misdemeanor counts of “illegal sexually oriented activity in a sexually oriented business” after she allegedly touched three different Vice Unit detectives, Division of Police Public Information Unit Sergeant Dean Worthington said. He says two other women were charged with one count of the same violation.
An Ohio law known as the Community Defense Act prohibits anyone who isn’t a family member to touch a nude or semi-nude dancer. A spokeswoman for Columbus’ city attorney says the maximum penalty for conviction under one count is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Michael Avenatti told MSNBC Thursday that the Columbus Division of Police had prepared a sting operation with multiple officers , and that female undercover officers asked Daniels if they could place their face between her breasts.
“It was an absurd use of law enforcement resources,” Avenatti said.
A message left for the city attorney spokeswoman wasn’t immediately returned.
Worthington says the undercover operation was part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of human trafficking, prostitution and other violations.
Since last fall, Columbus Police were made aware of illegal activity through various adult entertainment clubs throughout the city. Columbus Police have made numerous arrests utilizing this law. The Division engages in these operations routinely with no effect on other calls for service. This is an on-going investigation. -Columbus Div. of Police statement
In tweets later Thursday morning, Avenatti said Daniels will plead “not guilty” to the charges against her and cancelled a scheduled Thursday night performance at the club.
Official Statement From @StormyDaniels: As a result of what happened last night, I will unfortunately be unable to go forward with tonight's scheduled performance. I deeply apologize to my fans in Columbus.
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 12, 2018
Avenatti says during the performance, some patrons touched Daniels in a “non-sexual” way.
“This was a complete set up,” Avenatti said. “It’s absurd that law enforcement resources are being spent to conduct a sting operation related to customers touching performers in a strip club in a non-sexual manner.”
She was arrested for allegedly allowing a customer to touch her while on stage in a non sexual manner! Are you kidding me? They are devoting law enforcement resources to sting operations for this? There has to be higher priorities!!! #SetUp #Basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 12, 2018
Avenatti told MSNBC Thursday morning that his client posted a $6,000 bond and was released. She was scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning but Avenatti says a not guilty plea would be entered for her and she would not make a personal appearance.
A person who answered the phone at Sirens declined to comment.
Daniels has said she had sex with President Donald Trump in 2006, when he was married, which Trump has denied. She’s suing Trump and his former longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, and seeking to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement that she signed days before the 2016 presidential election.